1. Field
The disclosure relates generally to secure communication of data between systems and, more specifically, to systems and methods for the encryption of data communicated or transferred between systems and devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Secure communication of data between computer systems is important in data processing environments to prevent access to such data by those who are not authorized to view it. It is often difficult to physically secure all access to computer systems and networks, and there have been reports of data in transit between computer systems being intercepted. Therefore, data encryption often is used to provide security for data in transit, such as data being transferred via computer networks, mobile telephones, wireless microphones, wireless intercom systems, automatic teller machines, and the like.
In general, encryption is the process of transforming information data using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the encryption process is encrypted information or data. Encrypted data can be transmitted between systems and devices and, if intercepted in transit, will not be readable by anyone that does not possess the required key. The required key must be possessed, however, by the receiving system or device to which the encrypted data is intentionally transmitted. The receiving system or device uses the key to decrypt the encrypted data or information to make the encrypted information readable again, that is, to make it unencrypted. Various standards and cryptographic software and hardware to encrypt data for transmission between computer systems and other devices are widely available.
Digital information to be communicated between computer systems and other devices typically is formatted to include both information data, the data itself, and control data that is used, for example, for controlling the communication of the data between systems and devices. In a typical known data encryption method, data is encrypted and sent over wires to one or more receiving systems where it is decrypted. In most cases, only the information content portion of the data is encrypted for transmission. The control data typically is not encrypted, and thus is intact, unencrypted, and open to attack during transit. Knowledge of control flow may be deduced from the unencrypted control data if the transmission is intercepted. Such knowledge may include knowledge of the start and end of the data separate from the control flow. However, since the data itself is encrypted, it is assumed that this knowledge of the control flow is harmless.